NEARLY 300 people have died in Cumbria by suspected suicide since January 2020, a new report has revealed.

A report titled ‘suicide prevention strategy’ prepared for a meeting of Westmorland and Furness Council’s health and wellbeing board said between 2019 and 2021 Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show Barrow had a suicide rate of 19.2 per 100,000 people.

The same ONS data said South Lakeland had a suicide rate of 10.5 and Eden 11.2 between 2019 and 2021.

According to the report between January 2020 and October 2023, 287 people have died by suspected suicide in Cumbria.

The report states: “Every one of those deaths is a tragedy.

“They are also a shocking reminder that we must continue to improve suicide prevention action and not only improve the support for those who have lost a loved one to suicide but also make support more available and accessible to those who have had suicidal thoughts.”

Cumbria has a suicide rate of 15·5 per 100,000 which is higher than the England rate of 10·4. After Blackpool, Cumbria has the highest rate of suicides among local authorities in the North West and it is in the quartile of local authorities with the highest rates of suicide in England, the report states.

The report adds: “We are proposing that a new Suicide Prevention Action Plan for Cumbria is developed for 2024-2029, which will draw on the learning of past plans and best practice and reflect regional and national priorities. We are anticipating that a draft action plan could be prepared by May 2024.

“The action plan will be developed on a Cumbria footprint given that many partners who will work on this plan work across the geographic footprint including Police and Every Life Matters.”

“Within the plan there will be specific actions relevant to Westmorland & Furness only where this is relevant to meet the needs of our population”, the report adds.

The board will meet at Penrith Town at 10am on April 22.

For more information about where to get help when you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, or how you can support someone at risk, or if you have been bereaved by suicide, visit every-life-matters.org.uk

If you are having thoughts of suicide support is available at;

  • North Cumbria NHS Universal Mental Health Crisis Line 0800 652 2865 open 24 hrs a day/7 days a week
  • South Cumbria NHS Urgent Mental Health Support Line 0800 953 0110 open 24 hrs a day/7 days a week
  • Samaritans – Call 116 123 – There round the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
  • PAPYRUS – Call 0800 068 41 41 – 9am to midnight. Support line for young people at risk of suicide.
  • CALM – Call 0800 58 58 58. Men’s Helpline open 5pm – Midnight
  • Shout Crisis Text Service – Text Shout to 85258 to get 24/7 text support